


Halfway

by remyuna



Category: Final Fantasy VI
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-31
Updated: 2014-05-31
Packaged: 2018-01-27 20:15:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1721189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/remyuna/pseuds/remyuna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>It’s here! The first chapter of my Celes & Kefka fic. Though, its focus is Celes and her backstory.</p>
<p>First things first, I will be borrowing some (I don’t know how much) ideas from <a href="https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4211942/1/Heart-Funnel">Heart Funnel</a>, because it was the fic that made me ship Celes x Kefka in the first place. I tweaked the ages a bit to make the ship work but not much in order not to disturb the canon too much.</p>
<p>Also a huge thank you to amazing <a href="http://dr-erland.tumblr.com/">dr-erland</a> and <a href="http://thegrassthathidestheviper.tumblr.com/">thegrassthathidestheviper</a> who did the betaing for the chapter. Thanks a lot!</p>
    </blockquote>





	Halfway

**Author's Note:**

> It’s here! The first chapter of my Celes & Kefka fic. Though, its focus is Celes and her backstory.
> 
> First things first, I will be borrowing some (I don’t know how much) ideas from [Heart Funnel](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4211942/1/Heart-Funnel), because it was the fic that made me ship Celes x Kefka in the first place. I tweaked the ages a bit to make the ship work but not much in order not to disturb the canon too much.
> 
> Also a huge thank you to amazing [dr-erland](http://dr-erland.tumblr.com/) and [thegrassthathidestheviper](http://thegrassthathidestheviper.tumblr.com/) who did the betaing for the chapter. Thanks a lot!

The sky was a faint grey that morning. That was as close to blue as Vector's sky could get.

Emperor Gestahl was in his office trying to read the letters he received in the morning, but it was hard to concentrate. He put down yet another invitation to a premier of an Opera House show. Since this wasn’t a particularly important message, it could do without his attention for a while. He began strolling his office. This past week, he found himself going in circles in the office so much that he'd started to think of moving to a larger office. More space to cover.

He was seated again in his chair when he heard the knock.

“Come in.”

One of the engineers came into the office and bowed until Emperor Gestahl told him to rise.

“Your Majesty,” the engineer started. He sounded like he was trying to hold back his over-excitement. “I have good news from the chief genetic engineer.”

Emperor Gestahl shot up from his chair and the engineer jumped a little. “Good news?”

“Kefka Palazzo has finally woken up a-and, the procedure was successful.”

* * *

“One more round!”

Celes breathed a quick, frustrated sigh. It had been too many rounds already and her legs felt like they were on fire. 

She knew better than not to show how tired she was, unlike the others that whined at every step, or worse, just gave up and decided to lie on the ground.

In order to distract herself from the pain, she glanced up at the horizon where the Imperial Palace loomed over them.

She tried to imagine the sky without its presence. Every book she had read during their reading lessons talked about blue skies as far as the eye can see, but she could never picture it. She hadn't left the Palace, let alone Vector, as long as she could remember, and the sky was meant to be grey for all she knew.

“Okay, gather around,” their instructor, Miss Valentine, called. Kids on the ground got up, groaning. The training ground for their age group was a little area at the far corner of the main training ground, separated by fences. Most of the military - except the elite soldiers who had their own training area inside the Palace - would train in these grounds. The younger ones could watch the other trainees, and even soldiers, train from their little corner. Celes would steal glances of their training sessions when their instructor let them take a break. She always liked the swords the best and loved watching the swordsmen training. She couldn't wait to become ten and finally start to train with real swords, instead of the wooden ones they used now. 

They formed a line in front of Miss Valentine.

“Verena, Iustus,” she remarked to the children that had lied on the ground. “Kitchen duty tonight.” Verena and Iustus looked like they were going to protest but probably thought better of it and just nodded.

After Miss Valentine dismissed them Celes started towards her stuff at the corner. 

“Chere,” Miss Valentine called. 

Celes turned around. “Yes, sir.”

“Keep up the good work.” There was a faint smile on her face. “You are being noticed.”

Celes tried hard to suppress the happiness she felt. If she wanted to be a good soldier, she couldn't have let the victories to get to her head. That was a good way to get killed. The instructors made sure all the trainees knew that by heart. She thanked her instructor with as straight face as she could manage and turned to leave. Then, she let herself smile a little.

 

When Celes got out of the shower, everyone else in the dormitories had already left for lunch except for her best – only – friend Laura. For some reason, she didn't think Celes was unapproachable. One day Laura decided they were friends and Celes, after she got over the shock, went along with it and never regretted it. Laura was training to be a medic, so she and Celes had very different schedules. They could only spend some time together during meals and in the evenings, when the training session were over.

“Finally!” Laura exclaimed. She was sitting at the edge of Celes' bed and she had a huge smile across her face. “I have some interesting news!”

Celes smiled as she picked up her hairbrush from her drawer and sat next to Laura. Since Laura was training at the infirmary, she always had something interesting to tell. Celes looked forward to these times when Laura talked about the things she had heard. She even sometimes had news from outside of Palace and those were Celes' favourites.

“Yes?” Celes asked holding onto her hairbrush tight.

“There has been something serious going on in the Palace,” Laura started. She was very good at telling stories and she always loved to keep Celes on her toes even when she was just talking about the pudding she learned they'll serve for dinner. “Everyone's been really on the edge for, like, a week now. I don't know about the details but they talk about this guy called Palazzo, or something, and some kind of success.”

Celes raised her eyebrows, her curiosity peaked. “What kind of success?”

“That's the part that doesn't make any sense! No one ever says it out loud when they think they could be heard but, of course they don't pay attention to children much - it's annoying really, but sometimes very useful - anyway, I heard them talking. It's something about...” Laura giggled a little before finishing her sentence. “...magic!”

Celes dropped her shoulders. Everyone knew magic only belonged to the legends.

“Stop teasing me, Laura,” she said, hurt. She started to brush her long hair. She always hated how it got tangled and all. She terribly missed the times when they were in the 0-6 years section and Miss Delphina brushed everyone's hair. She missed feeling Miss Delphina's gentle hand brushing her hair lovingly and her mumbling about how Celes’s knots were as little and stubborn as their owner. But Celes had to take care of herself now.

“I'm not teasing you!” Laura protested. If she was standing she'd probably stomp her foot. “It's the truth! I heard them talk about how some Cid guy brought the magic back!”

Celes turned to her friend. Laura had a habit of exaggerating the things she told but she never told outright lies. But maybe she heard it wrong? Celes didn't want to get her hopes up because the idea of magic was both terrifying and... wonderful. 

“If it's true-”

“It's true!” Laura protested. Celes ignored her.

“If it's true, do you think...” Celes hesitated. She didn't want to seem overeager. “Do you think we'll get to see that man, using magic?”

Laura clapped her hands. “I really hope we can! That would be amazing! Can you imagine that?”

They spent all of their lunchtime talking about magic and theorizing how it'd look like, wondering if they could burn Prompto's eyebrows off for always pulling Laura's hair. Only when Celes heard her grumbling stomach during the reading lesson, she realized they'd forgotten to eat their lunch. Again.

It had been nearly a month since Laura and Celes talked about magic. They heard nothing like it ever since and even Laura had started to think maybe she had heard it wrong. But still she was sure, and Celes agreed with her, that something was going on. Celes started to see people with lab coats everywhere she went. They always had some pen and paper in their hands, taking notes, talking in low voices, prancing around the Palace as if they were late for the most important meeting in the world. She knew there was a facility where the scientists worked on- something next to the Palace but it was really unusual of them to seen this much in the Palace.

They even came and watched the trainings. Celes was really curious about what they were doing but all of their instructors acted like the scientists were always there and never acknowledged that there was something unusual going on. 

At the ending of that day's evening training, Miss Valentine told Celes to stay behind. The scientist got up from her chair when other children left and came next to them.

“Miss Chere,” said the scientist fixing her glasses. Her hair was neatly tied into a bun and she looked scary. And considering she was next to Miss Valentine, that was saying something. “My name is Nora Morgan and I work at the Imperial Research Facility.” Miss Valentine shifted uncomfortably. Celes felt her stomach turn.

“I came here to take you to the Research Facility,” Nora Morgan said.

Celes looked at Miss Valentine with curious eyes but Miss Valentine looked away. Celes couldn't understand what was going on. “Why?” she asked, hoping that her voice didn't shake. 

“Everything you need to know will be explained there,” the scientist replied. “Come with me.”

Celes looked Miss Valentine again. She said nothing. That meant this was an order and Celes had to follow it. Celes straightened her shoulders and looked at the scientist with determined eyes. 

“Just show me the way.”

That made Miss Valentine smile a little. “You're going to be okay,” she said. But Celes couldn't be sure if she was reassuring Celes or herself.

 

The Imperial Research Facility was next to the Imperial Palace. It was part of the Palace but it still stood separate enough to keep the prying eyes away. No one was allowed inside unless they had a job there. Celes had never even gone close to it before.

Inside the facility was all steel and stairs, no surprises there. But the similarities with the rest of the Vector stopped there. The facility was... busy. Everyone, with lab coats, seemed to be working on something. There were steam coming out of various places. Red, blue, yellow liquids were boiling on tables. Some huge machines were cranking and creaking and doing things Celes couldn't even try to guess. Celes felt the scientists' eyes on her but whenever she looked around they were disappearing behind the flasks.

Celes noticed some guards too. They were standing in front of a huge, tightly shut door. Whenever Celes took a second to look at something that intrigued her- like a small explosion that came from one of the purple looking liquids- Nora Morgan was giving her a tiny nudge to keep moving.

They passed through a metal door and ended up in another lab. There were stairs rising across the lab and there was a suspended floor with a balcony and a small room. Celes followed Nora Morgan there. 

When they arrived to the door of the small room - Celes felt eyes watching her again when she was climbing the stairs - the scientist knocked the door and then opened it.

“Get inside,” she said to Celes, holding the door's handle. Celes did as she was told. The room was a small office. It was in the same design with the rest of the facility but it felt warmer. The steel walls had become invisible behind bookcases. There was a carpet on the floor with chocobo embroidery. But what piqued Celes' interest the most was the vase on top of the desk, filled with red roses. She'd only seen them in the books. She had an irresistible urge to touch them. A voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

“Oh, Celes Chere!” 

It was an old man, with a blond, bushy mustache. He had a yellow coat and a friendly face. Even though Celes was still very nervous, his smile made her feel a bit better.

“Thank you Nora, you can go back to your work now.” The man got up from his chair behind the desk and came closer to Celes. Nora bowed, gave Celes one last look and left the room, closing the door behind her.

The man turned Celes with even wider grin. “Hello! My name is Cid Del Norte Marquez but you may call me Cid.” He winked.

Celes' eyed popped open. She knew him. He was the chief genetic engineer of the Empire. He was one of the most trusted men of Emperor Gestahl. What could he have anything to do with Celes? She didn't know what to say to him.

“I'm pretty sure you're wondering why you were brought here,” Cid said with an understanding voice. He gestured to a chair in front of his desk. “Why don't you sit down?”

Celes took her place on the wooden seat. She didn’t realize how tired she was until she had this opportunity to sit down. Today's schedule was all physical training. Cid smiled, went for the chair across Celes but then suddenly changed his direction as if he remembered something. He opened one of the drawers of his desk and brought something out. It was a doll.

Cid came near Celes and crouched beside her. He handed out the doll to her. Celes looked at the doll, confused. What was she supposed to do with it? Cid saw the hesitation in Celes' eyes too.

“Oh,” he said regretfully. “I was afraid you wouldn't like it.”

“No!” Celes exclaimed. She didn't want to upset the chief genetic engineer of the Empire. She could end up on streets. She took the doll. It was a doll with blue eyes, just like Celes'. The doll was blonde too but unlike Celes’, the doll's hair was curly and tied with a bow. It had a frilly dress that would be unwise to wear during a battle if one didn't wish to be killed. 

Cid finally sat on the chair. “Celes, you were chosen for a very specific purpose,” he explained. “We were searching for someone from the 6-10 group, with a promising future. Your instructor, Miss Valentine, told us that you were her most successful student.”

It made Celes proud that Miss Valentine thought so highly of her but then she remembered her face when the scientist came to take her away.

“What specific purpose?” Celes asked.

“You see, my engineers and I were working on something very important,” Cid responded. “Something that will change the world. We managed to give people the ability to use magic.”

Celes almost dropped the doll from her lap. Laura was right after all. “But-”she started.

“I know, it sounds impossible but it's science really.” Cid looked proud. Celes nodded. He had no reason to lie to her.

“But what does that have to do with me?”

Cid smiled. “Well, my dear, you are going to be one of our magic users...”

Celes couldn't believe her ears. She was going to be able to use magic? She didn't know how to feel. She knew she should have felt happy, after all she could really burn Promto's eyebrows off now but the memory of Miss Valentine's face kept bothering her.

“How?” she asked.

“Ah, we'll run some tests on you first. To make sure you are compatible. Then you'll have a procedure. But don't worry. I'll be with you at every step.” Cid smiled but this time his smile wasn't as reassuring as the previous ones. “I did this before. Don't worry.”

Celes nodded. She had nothing to say. This was too sudden. But if this way she could be more useful to the Empire, then she had to do it. After all, her duty was to protect the Empire so that the Empire could protect the people.

“Great then!” said Cid, getting up. “Come on, let me show you your room.”

“My room?” Celes asked. “Will I stay here?” She didn't want that. She liked her bed and she liked being near Laura.

“Of course,” replied Cid, as if it was obvious. “The procedure doesn't end in just a day. You'll have them regularly and we need to keep an eye on you.”

Celes didn't answer. Just nodded. Again. With the doll in her hands she followed Cid out of his office, down to the lab. They went back the way Celes had come with the scientists. But this time they headed for the door with the guards. The guards opened the way as soon as they saw Cid. Cid wished them a good day and opened the door with the key he was wearing on his neck. Celes followed him inside.

There was a huge hall inside and Celes wondered how big this facility was. A door was placed in each wall. Cid led Celes through the one on the right. The door opened to a narrow corridor with a lot of doors on each side. 

“These are the dormitories of some of our engineers,” Cid explained. “The ones that work in this section have rooms here. Yours is the number three, there.”

Cid pointed at the second door on the left. They entered the room. It was a huge room with a big double bed in the middle. Celes couldn't help but think all of her dorm room could fit in here. Other than the bed, there was a cupboard, a desk, a chair, a sofa and an empty bookcase in the room. On the right wall a door was open. From what Celes could see it was the bathroom. All to herself.

“Well,” Cid said. “This will be your home for a while Celes. Your belongings should be in the cupboard. If you need anything else you can tell me tomorrow and I'll get them to you. I'll come to take you to the tests tomorrow morning.” He waited for Celes to say something. Celes didn't. After a moment she nodded. “Good night, then.”

After Cid left the room Celes put the doll on the desk. She was numb. She didn't know what to do or feel. Would they tell Laura where she was? Wasn't she going to attend any of the trainings? She had a lot of questions and she was regretting that she didn't ask Cid any of them. But she was too busy trying to understand what was going on. She decided to take a shower. That would relax her a little and maybe she could think more clearly. She opened the cupboard. All of the few clothes she had were there, neatly folded. She pulled her nightgown from the pile and laid it on her bed.

When she got out of the shower, she realized they had forgotten to bring her hairbrush along. She would tell Cid tomorrow. She put on her nightgown, turned off the lights and settled in the bed. It was fluffy and comfortable but Celes just couldn't relax. She'd never slept alone all her life. She always shared rooms with the other girls in her age group. Also, the creaks of the machines could be heard even from her room. She decided it was the sound she hated the most. She turned around and found herself looking at the doll. She got up the bed and went to the desk. The doll looked a bit scary in the night only lit by the moon hidden behind the fog. Celes went back to bed, carrying it. She looked at the scary doll that would definitely trip on its own skirt during a fight and hugged it.

Then she let herself cry a little.


End file.
